You Could Call It Love
by angelamorales514
Summary: Short Stories/one shots about Batcat mostly taking place during season 5
1. Did You Mean It?

**Author's Note: I hope you all enjoy, I'll try to update as often as I can. This first story was inspired by the latest episode, I wrote it before it aired. It takes places a couple of days after Ivy's attack.**

Selina had been catching Bruce sending her these looks all day long. Just staring at her with dark brooding eyes and an expression she couldn't really interpret. Nothing too out of the ordinary, she thought, Bruce has always been that way. But definitely puzzling. It wasn't until they reached The Sirens, Bruce walking her over under the guise of having a message to give to Barbara from Gordon that it finally clicked. Bruce wanders off to find Barbara as Selina takes the back stairs to her room, having moved back in after learning about Barbara's pregnancy. Throwing her whip and her gloves on her dresser she unzips her jacket and flops down onto her bed, she could definitely go for a nap. Even with the music playing downstairs in the club she could feel herself drifting off, her tired body welcoming the calm of sleep draping over her. She is just about to give in when her ears pick up on footsteps and then her door shutting closed. Snapping one eye open, her body tensing and ready to pounce on her intruder, she groans when she sees that it is just Bruce.

She reluctantly sits up and glares at him, "I was just about to fall asleep." She growls at him, although it seems to have no affect on him.

"Sorry," He simply says, but she can tell he doesn't actually mean it by the small twitch of a smirk on his face that he tries to hide. He's walking quickly over to her and before she can ask him what the fuck he's doing he's leaning over her and pressing his lips against hers. This time he's not holding anything back, guiding her back down and crawling on top of her, and she feels her body shudder underneath him. Her brain, and her lips, are trying to catch up as Bruce's lips move feverishly against hers. Her fingers on the other hand seem to have a mind of their own and are currently grabbing on to the hair at the back of his head and pulling him impossibly closer. Perhaps this is what Bruce was thinking about all day, lust darkening his eyes as he stared at her, she mused. She slipped her hands under his shirt, sliding her palm up his smooth back as he kissed his way across her jaw hotly, sighing as he whispered her name in her ear. Selina can feel his hands wrapped around her ribcage, his thumbs brushing just underneath her breasts and she so wants to encourage him but she needs to know first.

Selina pulls her hands from under his shirt and places them on his shoulders, pushing him back gently. Bruce who'd been busy sucking the delicate skin on her neck looks down at her questioningly with half lidded eyes.

"Bruce as much as I want this.. Is everything alright? With everything that happened with Ivy the other day-"

"I won't hurt you."

She smiles and softly cups his face, "I know that, that isn't what I meant. You kept away after Ivy's attack, you've been distant all day and then you just came in here.."

Bruce pulls back and Selina sits up again, looking at him wearily.

"I'm sorry Selina I didn't mean to frighten you. The truth is I wanted to keep some distance between us, to make sure Ivy was completely out of my head so that I wouldn't hurt you again, because I remembered."

"Remembered what?" She hears herself whisper.

Bruce takes a moment to admire her flushed cheeks and red-kissed lips. "That you told me you loved me," He says simply.

Selina blinks and feels her face heat up.

"Did you mean it?" Bruce asks.

Selina can't help but wonder how Bruce could look so calm and collected, while her heart was beating so hard she was sure he could hear it.

"Of course I did," Again whispering her answer. Bruce wouldn't listen to reason while under Ivy's spell, and so Selina had chanced at getting through to him with his emotions, admitting her most precious secret. When Bruce never mentioned it after he came to, she told herself he hadn't felt the same way and didn't want to hurt her feelings. Selina always had a hard time accepting that people could love her.

Bruce is smiling at her, like he can hear her thoughts, "Good, cause I love you, too."

And then it finally clicked. Bruce wasn't staring at her with lust in her eyes all day long.

It was love.

**End Notes: If anyone has any prompts feel free to send them either in the comment section or PM me! **


	2. Just Trust Me Okay?

**Author's Note: ****So this chapter started off with a completely different ending after the Harvey part, but I started writing this before I saw 5x09 and decided I wanted that ending to go in another story. So I changed it as leading up to their date. There's really not much to it, but I hope everyone still enjoys reading it.**

Selina walked into the GCPD a little out of breath. She was supposed to meet Bruce there half an hour ago but ran into some street gang on the way. Nothing she couldn't handle of course, she thought smugly, her whip took care of them real good. She had to jog the rest of the way over, hence why she was out of out of breath, she knew that Bruce could be a stickler for schedules. Glancing around she spotted Harvey at his desk and sauntered over. Selina smiled mischievously as she jumped up on his desk startling the detective.

"Hey Harv!"

"Jesus! Was that really necessary?!" Harvey clutched at his chest, glaring at the young girl who was laughing behind her hand. "What do you want, Cat, can't you see that some people still need to work around here?" He snatched a piece of paper out of her hands that she picked up to read, but then her attention was focused on the ball of elastics he mostly had used to use to fling down at the cops when he was bored. That seemed so long ago, he thought. He grabbed that out of her hand as well and tossed it in a drawer.

"Did you just come here to annoy me?"

"I'm looking for Bruce, you seen him?"

"Last I heard he went down to the store rooms. Now scram!" Harvey said, trying to shoo her off his desk.

Selina grinned wickedly at him, "Thanks Harv!" She jumped off his desk but before she left she flicked at the rim of his hat, knocking it over his eyes, swiping something quickly off his desk and ran, her tinkering laugh following her.

"Hey!" He yelled after her, shoving his hat back up on his head, but she was already weaving her way over to the stairs that lead to the basement. He looked back down to the paperwork he was working on and realized what was missing, jumping up he yelled after her again, "That's my pen, give me back my pen!"

Selina shoved the pen in her pocket as she made her way down the stairs, she didn't actually need it, she just liked messing with Harvey, it was so easy to get a reaction out of him, she thought as she giggled. It was dark down here, and quiet except for the sound of someone rummaging about further around the corner. Moving quietly forward she crept around the corner spotting Bruce right away. He was sifting around in some boxes filled with scavenged objects. It just looked like junk to her but she supposed that everything can be used in some way. Smiling mischievously she crept forward, her arms out ready, but then Bruce stood up shoving something into his pocket and turned around, giving her a smug look.

"How long did you know I was there?" She said with her hands on her hips pretending to be annoyed.

"The whole time," He laughed, "I heard you giggle in the stairwell. You're late by the way, I was getting worried."

Selina shrugged her shoulders completely unconcerned as she glanced into the box Bruce was looking in, "Ran in to some losers on the way over."

"Ya? I bet you had them shaking in their shoes when you took your whip out," Bruce smirked at her, a hint of pride shining in his eyes.

Selina perked up under is admiration, and bounced on her toes with a wide smile, "They laughed at first but their eyes nearly popped out of their socket after I took out a few of them in seconds," She bragged, feeling warm all over under his proud gaze.

"So, what did you want to see me for anyways?" Selina asked.

"Come on, I'll tell you on the way."

Selina wasn't too impressed when Bruce explained that he wanted to check out an abandoned building on the edge of the green zone, "Urgh, scavenging? That's what you called me over for?"

Bruce smiled at her, like he knew something she didn't. "Come on, i'll race you," Bruce said, taking off before she could react.

"Cheater!" But Selina smiled determinedly and ran after him, she was never one to say no to a challenge.

Not knowing exactly which building Bruce wanted to scavenge, he won the race, Selina begrudgingly admitting defeat. Instead Bruce grew slightly quiet, opening the door for her to what looked like what was once a hotel or a fancy residential building. Now it just had layers of dirt and probably had been looted months ago.

"What made you choose this of all places for a scavenging mission?" Selina asked Bruce as he walked on ahead with a flashlight.

Bruce turned towards her with an unreadable expression, "Just trust me okay?"

Selina threw her hands up in exasperation at his answer, watching as he walked in to the next room. She followed him in and felt her jaw drop in surprise. In the middle of a giant empty room there was a table all set up with dinnerware and two tall candelabras with some of the candles already lit. "What the hell?"

Bruce stayed quiet as he put on some music on some old timey music player and then walked over to the table, pulling out one of the chairs inviting her to go over.

"Sit," Bruce said, looking like he was holding his breath as he waited.

Selina hesitated, before a small chuckle escaped her lips, this was definitely not what she expected on this so called scavenging mission. Sometimes Bruce really surprised her. Selina walked over slowly and let Bruce help her into her seat with an awkward smile. Selina watched as Bruce made his way to the other side of the table and busied himself with lighting some of the candles, taking a lighter out of his pocket. Ah. So that's what he was looking for in the storeroom.

"Wow. Candles. If I didn't know any better i'd say this was a... date." A date that Bruce clearly prepared as best as he could with what he could find to make it special for her. It made her heart swell for this boy.

Bruce pulled off his gloves and draped his coat around the back of his chair, his eyes never leaving hers, "Maybe it is. That okay with you?" When did he get so confident, she wondered.

"Maybe." On the outside she made sure to sound just as calm, but she was in fact freaking out just a bit on the inside, her stomach fluttering.

Bruce gave her a relieved and happy smile as he sat down, "Good. So let's eat."

Accepting the can he pushed towards her she smiled tenderly at him. He really made it hard not to love him.

**End Note's: ****I really loved writing the scene with Selina teasing Harvey. I'm not sure if anyone remembers this but in Season 1 in the episode Balloonman there's a small scene where Selina is brought in to the GCPD to see Jim and she gets real close to Harvey at his desk and he tells her to step back only to realize after they leave that his pen is missing. I just really liked that scene and wanted to incorporate it in this story.**

**Also I took the 'Old times music player" from one of my favourite stories The Wendigo and The Lionhearted by Shadychef. If you haven't read it yet it is soooooo good!**


	3. Something Like That

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: THERE IS LITERALLY NOTHING TO THIS FIC, I'M SO SORRY HAHA. I HONESTLY WROTE IT JUST TO USE ALFRED'S LAST LINE**

There was almost enough wine for everyone to get one small cup each, mismatched mugs and cups being passed around with shouts of joy and celebration. Bruce could tell that everyone must have felt like a load of stress had been lifted from their shoulders that night away from the destruction and chaos outside. Bruce snagged two cups and turned around, searching the crowd of cops looking for a curly haired girl and hoping she hadn't left before he could talk to her. His mind was still replaying their kiss from before, watching Jim and Lee looking into each other's eyes with so much love, kissing, it had had been instinct for him to reach out to Selina. He recalled slightly that she had been surprised but she quickly melted in his embrace, he thought to himself with a triumphant smile. He scanned the room, having no luck with so many cops standing around and was just about to turn towards the stairs when he finally spotted her leaning against the far wall. Of course she'd seek a spot furthest away from everyone and closest to an exit, Selina has never been too comfortable at the GCPD. As he got closer, stepping around people like an obstacle course, he could see that she was pretending to look completely bored and preoccupied with inspecting her gloved nails. But Bruce knew her better than that and could see her stealthily looking through her lashes at everyone, always keeping on guard. She straightened up and lifted an eyebrow up at the two cups of wine in his hands.

"Managed to grab wine and not get caught by Alfred. Impressive."

Bruce passed her a cup and watched as she brought it to her lips, taking a small sip, "What he doesn't know can't hurt him," He told her with a shrug.

Bringing his own cup to his lips he gulped it down. Selina's lips twitched in a smile as she watched him but then she was throwing her head back and swallowing down the wine just the same. Bruce studied her, his eyes flicked down to her throat as she swallowed, feeling a warmth spread through his body, his eyes darkening. She set her cup down when she finished and licked her lips. Would they taste like wine if he kissed her right now? He was aware by her smile that she knew exactly what he was thinking, so when he held his hand out and asked her to follow him he knew she would take his hand without a second thought.

Selina ever the curious one, her hand still wrapped in his as he lead her down a hall leaving the noise behind, barely lasted 10 seconds before she asked where he was taking her.

"Just trust me."

"Last time you said that you surprised me with music and dinner," She said teasingly.

Bruce just chuckled giving her a mysterious smile. Opening a door he waited until Selina entered before closing the it behind them. It was dark but some light filtered in through the window on the door. There was just a table and two chairs in the small room.

"An interrogation room? That's what you were so urgent to show me?"

Bruce stepped forward and Selina took a step back towards the table.

"Sorry, it's not quite as impressive as before."

Bruce took another step towards her and Selina followed suite, her bottom hitting the edge of the table.

"Were you planning on interrogating me?" She said with a mischievous smirk. Selina leaned back against the table tilting her head at him, her curls falling in her eyes. Bruce closed the distance and reached up to tuck the curl behind her ear.

"Something like that." Bruce said before sliding his hand through her hair, cupping the back of her head to pull her up to meet his lips. Selina eagerly lifted her chin and kissed him back, draping one arm lazily around his neck to pull him closer to her. He kissed her deeply, the tip of his tongue brushing briefly against hers causing her to sigh sweetly against his lips. Selina teased his lower lip between her teeth gently as they parted to catch their breath. Bruce opened his eyes and blinked to adjust to the semi darkness around them, he could make out her eyes glowing almost in the half light, her teeth white against her reddened lips as she chuckled at his half lidded gaze.

Selina hopped up on the table suddenly and pulled Bruce between her legs with a sly smile, "I like this type of interrogation," She whispered before pressing her lips back against his, this time kissing him with more ferocity, their hands pulling jackets off and tossing her gloves down beside them. Completely engrossed with each other, not a care for those still celebrating in the main hall.

Alfred looked up suddenly from his conversation, realizing the kids had disappeared for quite some time. All the worst case scenarios ran through his mind and he quickly excused himself, scanning the room with no luck. Not once did it occur to him that they were fine and just went off to find some time alone together, as one would think had they lived a normal life. No, they lived a life filled with kidnappings and clones, assassins and crazy brothers set on making Bruce's life a living hell. He didn't bother asking anyone, if someone had seen something they would have alerted him right away.

As he made a lap around the room he noticed two mugs left forgotten on a table by the back wall, right next to a long hallway, and he barrelled down that hall, imagining the worst. There were only four doors, the first three were empty, but when he barged through the last door he really didn't know how to react at first. There they were, completely oblivious to who just walked in, Selina sitting up on a table and Bruce completely pressed against her with their arms holding each other tight. Alfred flicked the light on a cleared his throat, biting down on his teeth to keep from laughing as the two sprung apart, Selina shoving Bruce away from her even, Bruce stumbling a few steps back. Both looked shocked but then a light flush creeped up their necks and reddened their cheeks. Selina recovering fast, slapped her hand over her lips to hold back her giggles at being caught.

Alfred let them suffer a few seconds longer, "Right...well if that's how it's going to be-" He made a show of pushing the door open all the way and stepped back in the hall,"-lights on and doors open!" With that he turned and walked away, finally smiling at how absurd but relieving it felt to catch Bruce doing something so normal as a teenager, Selina and Bruce's laughter bursting out the room and following him down the hall.

**END NOTE: THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A SILLY LITTLE FLUFFY PIECE THAT SOMEHOW ENDED UP MORE ELECTRIC IN THE MIDDLE. MY NEXT STORY WILL BE BETTER, I SWEAR.**


	4. Mom, Dad, this is Selina

**Author's Note:I love this idea of writing little short stories that all connect around one theme. I've read one on by Gothamscat called 'It's 2AM and I'm Calling because I Need You' and on AO3 by bensreylo called 'Four times batcat kiss in S5 and the one time they don't'**

**I recommend reading both of those fics!**

Part 1.

"I'm sorry. I know it's been awhile."

Bruce kneels in front of his parents gravestones, brushing the leaves to the side, tidying up the grounds around his parents gravesite as he talks to them softly. Alfred had suggested to bring them new flowers, but he knows he just wanted to get him out of the Manor.

"We have a guest living with us, her name is Selina Kyle. She's going to help us find the man..from that night."

He glances behind him, Alfred leaning against the car giving him some privacy. He's watching something up on the hill and Bruce follows his gaze. Selina is strolling around stopping every now and then reading the markers. She told him on the way over that she wanted to find the oldest gravestone in the cemetery.

Turning back around he looks down and replaces the dying flowers he left for them a few weeks ago with new fresh ones, "I think you'd like her, the other day she was teaching me how to climb a tree, Alfred nearly had a heart attack and made us come down." He laughs at the memory, his father would have laughed too, he thinks. Lingering a moment longer he finally stands up and places his hand on the gravestones.

"I miss you."

Part 2.

"I messed up."

"I put Selina's life in danger, for my own selfish reasons."

Alfred had insisted that they leave Gotham for awhile for his protection and so Bruce wanted to say goodbye to his parents before getting on the plane. On the way over Bruce convinced Alfred to take a detour to the Narrows. He eagerly climbed the stairs to the roof where he sometimes could find Selina feeding Bridgit's pigeons. Unfortunately she wasn't there and he could only pin a note to the cage.

"I had reason to believe that Hugo Strange was behind your murder, and baited Selina into helping me. It was stupid of me. I let her go in alone, and she could have died." Bruce traces the letters of his parents names with his fingertip as he talks to them, it calms him. He definitely needs calming now.

"She's my best friend, you know. And because of what we found out in Arkham, Alfred is taking me to our chalet for a while," He pauses as he let's his hand fall back down to his side, "I didn't even get to say goodbye to her."

"I hope she won't be too mad."

Part 3.

"She kissed me."

Bruce sat with his back resting against his parent's tombstone, a smile on his face. He hasn't smiled genuinely in a long time. It was the day after Mayor Cobblepot's party and he couldn't wait to tell his parents about what happened.

"She was at the party, it had to have been a sign, so I took Jim's advice and told her how I felt. You should have seen her, she looked beautiful in her dress up on that rooftop. Absolutely breathtaking."

Resting his head back he looked up to the sky. It was a nice day, the sun was shinning and the sky was blue, a perfect reflection to how he was feeling inside. He felt giddy and warm.

"Alfred still doesn't trust her fully. An unfair judgement in my opinion. I know he's just trying to protect me though. I just wish you both could have met her. I know you would have seen what I see when I look at her." He sits there for a short while, pondering about what if scenarios, what if his parents were alive and met Selina. He knows in his heart they would accept her, that they wouldn't discourage their.. well he's not quite sure what to call it yet.

"I think I'm going to invite her over for dinner. I'll cook for her." He'd make everything himself, he decides, he won't even let Alfred help.

"I'll even make her a chocolate cake."

Part 4.

"I don't want to lose her, but I don't know how to help her."

Bruce had snuck away at night, after sitting by Selina's side watching her sleep. He insisted that Alfred go back to the apartment to get some sleep while he stayed behind in the clinic to watch over Selina. She had a particularly bad day. After a few hours of being reassured that she was sleeping soundly he had an urge to speak with his parents. He couldn't visit their graves so he went to the next best thing, Wayne Entreprises.

"This is all my fault, she would never have gotten shot if I hadn't asked for her help," He lets a few tears drip down his cheeks. He never would allow that to happen in front of Selina, wanting to be strong for her.

"I- I don't know what to do, we're running out of resources to help her, and i'm losing her, a little bit more every day she fades and sinks further away from me." He finally lets it out, and sinks to the ground as he cries, heaving sobs echoing in the empty entryway. Above him is a portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne.

He feels desperate, willing to do anything to save her, he feels anger, a growing hate towards the man who did this, but most of all he feels love, a realization that came over him when she was bleeding in his arms and her eyes fluttered closed. He loves her but it only makes him feel worse.

"Please, please tell me what to do!" He pleads out loud. But no one answers.

Part 5.

Batman jumps across a rooftop as he chases Catwoman. She's laughing at him, and the twinkle in her eyes that he knows is there behind her goggles makes him smile and run faster after her. She's teasing him, he knows. She's made it known more than once that she loves when he chases her. It was she who taught him how to jump across the large gaps between buildings when they were kids, and she never lets him forget it. Batman closes the distance between them and wraps his arms around her lifting her off the ground.

"Gotcha!" Cat squirms around in his embrace still giggling but Batman just tightens his hold on her as she tries to kick her way free.

Cat suddenly goes limp and declares surrender, "Ugh fine, you win." Batman lets her feet drop down to the ground. Spinning around Cat crosses her arms and pretends to glare up at him, sticking her tongue at his smug face, "Jokes on you, I let you catch me."

"If you say so." He holds his hand out and waits patiently. Cat rolls her eyes but unzips her suit just to the tops of her breasts and reaches inside, withdrawing her hand to slap the object down in his palm. Looking down Batman sees that it was just a simple thin silver bracelet.

"I thought it would look great with my ring." Cat says with a playful smile as she reaches back inside her suit to pull out a chain threaded through a diamond ring. He had asked her to marry him only a week ago, and she never left without it, wearing it on a chain when she suited up so that it wouldn't interfere with her gloves.

Batman stares at her silently and she thinks for a moment that he might actually be angry with her but then he steps towards her cupping her face with his other hand and kisses her, pressing their lips firmly together, and she can't help but eagerly lean into their kiss. When they're together like this she feels like everything has fallen into place.

Breaking away Batman pushes her goggles up on her head, pulls his cowl down and leans his forehead against hers, wanting to look into her eyes, "Selina," He whispers his hand still cupping her cheek, "I need to go do something, will you come with me?"

Selina stares into his eyes and wants to tell Bruce that she'd follow him to the ends of the Earth, but just nods. After making their way back to the Batmobile and quickly changing into their civilian clothes Bruce drives them a short distance off the island and Selina understands that they are heading towards to the cemetery. After Bruce checks his computer to make sure they were the only ones around he parks and leads her to a pair of tombstones that she's seen before when they had first met as kids. Selina squeezes his hand and smiles up at Bruce.

"Mom, Dad, this is Selina."

**End Notes: I hope you enjoyed reading! Bruce definitely bought the bracelet Selina stole and presented it in a nice box the next day for** **her**


	5. Selina, Queen of Tigers

**Author's Note**: I have no idea where this came from but it's silly and funny and cute. I feel like all the Gotham BatCat writers are slowly vanishing and leaving their stories unfinished so I will try to start my new future BatCat fic soon.. Also I've always waned to try writing an all dialogue fic.

"Rawwwr!"

"..."

"Grrrrrrrr."

"Who- who's there?"

"What a tasty human i've cornered."

"Selina?"

"NO! It is I, Queen of the Tiger Empire!"

"I'm sorry, what? Queen? Tiger Empire?"

"Stupid Human, nothing but a good tasty snack!"

"Selina what the hell. Are you high?"

"Ouch!"

"Selina isn't here right now, you may call me Queen!"

"Are you wearing your claws? That hurt!"

"Scared puny human? The Queen is hungry and i've got you trapped."

"Did Ivy slip some of her magic mushrooms in your food again?"

"I do not know who this Ivy is that you speak of."

"If you're hungry you could have just told me instead of interrupt my work- OW!"

"You can't escape the Queen, I have stalked you all day and have been waiting in the dark for this moment."

"Selina you are not a tiger, you can't eat me!"

"Get back here, you can't outrun the Queen of Tigers!"

"Selina there is literally a fridge full of food! Stop chasing me!"

"I crave fresh meat!"

"Alfred!"

"Scream all you want, human, you can't hide from me, I can see in the dark!"

"I will find you, and rip the meat-"

"What in the bloody hell is all this yelling about?"

"Alfred, thank god, she's gone nuts! She says she wants to eat me!"

"I am Queen of the Tiger Empire and I will eat the meat off his bones!"

"..."

"Alfred do something!"

"Right. Well have fun with your make believe, i'm off to the shops. Behave and don't break anything."

"Alfred wait- come back!"

"Urgh! Selina get off me!"

"I've got you now human! Any last words?"

"Be reasonable, Selina."

"Those are silly last words."

"You can't eat human flesh, humans aren't meant to digest that."

"I'm a tiger!"

"Right. Sorry."

"You taste very salty, human."

"Stop licking my neck, you know i'm ticklish there. Oh..OH!"

"Perhaps..Perhaps your Queen prefers to lick then to eat you, human."

"Licking and kissing is definitely preferable and more delightful, I agree."

"Than I shall name you my slave, and you must kiss me whenever I want!"

"Those are terms I will gladly accept, my Queen."

"Ohh, oh yes, you kiss and lick very well, my slave."

"My wish is only to please you, my Queen."

"But wait- First..what sort of food did you say was in the fridge?"

End** Notes**: Ivy definitely slipped Selina some magic mushrooms in her food, and when she happened to see an orange tabby on the streets, she declared herself his Queen. Hunger and Bruce pooped into her mind at the same time and so she made her way to Wayne Manor, only growling at a few people on the way.


	6. Whenever You Need Me

Bruce finds Selina standing in Jeremiah's hospital room. His entire body is all bandaged, hooked up to machines. If it weren't for the monitors beeping, he'd think he was dead, something he knows that Selina is struggling with. He knows that if he had died when falling in that vat of chemicals, it would have put to rest all the terror he created for the both of them.

Turning back to Selina, he can see she's breathing hard, her eyes wide as she stares at Jeremiah. She's scared, her hands balled into fists at her side. She still has nightmares about the night Jeremiah shot her. He knows that she's fighting herself from surging forward and pulling all the tubes and medication that is keeping his body alive. That although his heart was still beating, and he was declared brain dead, they would both sigh in relief at hearing him flatline.

Bruce steps in front of her, shielding her view of Jeremiah, and tries to comfort her, pulling her close. Tilting her chin up, he whispers to her, "He can't hurt you anymore."

Selina sags against him in visible relief, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes as she closes them. Bruce cups her face and wipes them away gently with his thumbs.

"I will always be here for you, whenever you need me," He tells her, echoing her words.

Selina lets out a sob but nods in understanding and he pulls her into his arms, one hand cupping the back of her head. They hold on tightly to each other as they listen to the beeping of the machines, hoping that Bruce is right, that Jeremiah can't ever hurt either of them again.


	7. What If?

Selina opens her eyes, and smiles at Bruce, watching as he slowly pulls away from their kiss. Her heart is fluttering all kinds in her chest, and she's thankful for the dark lighting in the room as she feels her face heat up. Bruce is still so close and blinking lazily up at her.

"You're welcome," She says, trying to seem unaffected by his kiss, "Why do you think he's so obsessed with you?"

"Jeremiah said all it takes is one bad day to drive a person insane," Bruce sits up, staring down at his lap looking defeated, "I wonder if my parents dying made me a little insane. Maybe he sensed that. Maybe he wanted to bring it out."

Selina studies him, wanting to bring him back to the mood when they kissed, and tells him with pride, "Well you proved him wrong."

Bruce turns towards her, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips, "Ya. With your help."

Selina doesn't argue with him. They sit there for a moment staring at each other, and she catches his eyes darting down at her lips, which only widens her smile. "We'll get him, Bruce," She whispers softly, her fingers playing with the ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. She watches him visibly relax, the way he leans back into the couch and presses her fingers further into his hair. His hands have been resting on her knees and his fingers start to play with the loose threads of her ripped jeans. This has been the closest they've ever been, she muses, not just physically but their connection. She's always pulled away whenever they got even remotely as close they are now. She's always been afraid to open herself fully to someone. Bruce was different though. Even when she felt like she needed to put walls up around herself, Bruce always found a way to tear them down, every time.

Bruce's eyes had been closed while she played with his hair, but he opens them suddenly and turns to look behind her, his eyes wide. Selina freezes for a second before she whips her head around to look behind her. There's no one there. Looking back at Bruce she sees that he looks confused. "Bruce? What is it?" She asks urgently, feeling tense. What just happened?

"I...-"

Selina lifts her legs off him and tucks them beneath her so she could shift closer. He's still glancing over her shoulder like he expects someone to be there, and she can't help but look over her shoulder as well, picking up on his paranoia. Focusing back on Bruce she lifts her hands slowly to not startle him and cups his cheeks gently, pulling his attention on her, just like she did back at that warehouse.

"Bruce, look at me," She waits for him to lock eyes with her before continuing, "There's no one there, it's just you and me. You're safe here." She brushes her thumbs over his cheek soothingly. Selina watches as his eyes clear, there must be still trace amounts of Scarecrow's poison in his system, she realizes. "Should I get Alfred?" She asks him quietly.

"No. It's fine, I thought I saw-" Again he glances behind her as if making sure he wasn't wrong before his eyes flick back at her, "I thought I saw someone," He mumbles. Selina can only guess who he hallucinated. Jeremiah. Her heart sinks for him, he's really had a terrible day. Threading her fingers through his hair she brings him forward to rest her forehead against his. "I won't let him hurt you." She whispers to him and she feels the tension release from him. On impulse she leans closer and presses her lips against his, softly and briefly before pulling away. But what she meant to be only a sweet chaste kiss, Bruce decides he wants more and follows her lips, at first as softly as she had but then more firmly. She knows she should probably encourage him to rest, have some dinner, and then get some sleep, but his lips are insistent against hers and she can't help but give in. She kisses him back just as enthusiastically and feels his hands slide up her thighs to her hips, pulling her onto him so that she's sitting on his lap, one leg on either side of him. This is definitely is the closest they've ever been now, she can't help but think, but then Bruce deepens the kiss and she can't help but moan in response.

They must have lost track of time, completely lost in each other, because the next thing she knows there's a loud growl in the otherwise quiet room and they both break apart from each other. Selina blinks her heavy lids and Bruce has wide eyes, but the next second she bursts out laughing, falling forward into him.

"Was that your stomach?!" She laughs into his neck, her voice a bit muffled.

"I thought it was your stomach," Bruce chuckles as her whole body is still shaking with laughter.

"No! That was definitely not my stomach," Selina sits up breathless from laughing so hard and pokes him in his tummy, "Come on B, let's get you some food, I bet you haven't eaten all day." Selina flushes only a little bit when she realizes she's still sitting on his lap and quickly stands up, pulling Bruce to his feet at the same time. They hold hands as they walk down to the kitchen.

"I'm glad you're here, Selina."

"I'll always be here, whenever you need me."


End file.
